[Xapian-devel] GNU GPL, really!?

[Germán M. Bravo]

Xapian is an incredible piece of software, it is great! Amazing! ...but do you guys realize GPL license is crippling it!? ...really!

I know this will sound harsh and that many will say "if I'm not okay with it don't use it" (as simple as that) ...well the thing is that. I won't because the strict license doesn't allow me. And maybe it's okay, you'll think "just one angry guy" ...but please I beg you reconsider and think again.

How many programmers and people that could otherwise contribute to the improvement of Xapian are being left aside? How many of us have found in Xapian the (almost) perfect fit, just to run away to other projects because the restrictiveness of GPL not because they are better? ...or start split efforts towards an engine that no in a million years will be nearly as good as Xapian instead of contributing to it?

I read about it in some of your mails in the list there were some efforts to make it LGPL (or even better Apache or MIT), which would allow me to use Xapian... just perhaps a little too late now for me.

As a member of the open source community, I urge you to take prompt action. This is honestly, truly an important issue to be taken care in a swift manner. GPL is smothering Xapian!

But hey, this is just my very particular opinion on the matter.

Best regards,
Germán M. Bravo